Feast of St. Blaise and the Blessing of the Throats
Today is the feast of St. Blaise, the day when we, as Catholics, participate in the beautiful tradition of having our throats blessed. To do this, the priest consecrates two candles, generally by a prayer, and then holds each in a crossed position on the throat of the person being blessed. At the same time the following blessing is given: "Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
I have always enjoyed this day, not only because it is the time of year when I am more prone to sore throats, but it shows how the Church is truly concerned with the bodily needs of the person as well as the spiritual needs.
Why does this blessing of the throat take place on the feast of St. Blaise? St. Blaise, a physician and bishop, asked God to cure a child who was choking to death on a fish bone and the child's life was saved. Thus, St. Blaise is the patron saint of healthy throats.
Prayer to Saint Blaise
Dear bishop and lover of souls, you willingly bore heavy crosses in faithful imitation of Jesus. Similarly, with Christ-like compassion you cured many sufferers. Then after undergoing horrible torture, you died as a martyr for Christ. Obtain a cure for these {describe the afflictions} ills if this is agreeable to God. Amen.
What's the deal on St. Blaise these days? I wanted to have my throat blessed on Tuesday but could not b/c my parish limited blessing throats to after the 9am mass. Has the RC church deemphasised this practice?
ReplyDeletePosted on OSV Daily: the Book of Blessings (Roman Ritual):
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
1634. A lay minister, touching the throat of each person with the crossed candles and, without making the sign of the cross, says the prayer of blessing.
Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and
martyr,
may God deliver you from every disease of the throat
and from every other illness:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Each person responds:
R. Amen.
And before you take issue with the idea of just anyone serving as a "lay minister," be assured that the Book of Blessings states clearly that "other laymen and laywomen, in the virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation," may perform certain blessings, including this one. The book specifically cites parents acting on behalf of their children, so I'm in the clear. ENDQUOTE
Dear StBlog: I am a lay minister so I do not take issue in the least. I was disappointed that the ritual does not seem as important as it once used to-and I can't bless my own throat(?).
ReplyDeletejasper
Hi St. Blog!
ReplyDeleteI love people like you who come to another person's blog (their home) to try to prove how "superior" they are to the blogger by pointing out minut imperfections that are totally ridiculous. It's like entering someone's house and trying to start an argument over something as nit picky as the dust they have in the room. LOL!
Do I detect a hint of jealousy?
I'll say a "Hail Mary" for you, dear one. :)
God bless you!
I don't believe anyone here is a cannon lawyer. I do know that there are several different "rites" within the Cathlic Church.
ReplyDeleteThe only ones I have seen administer this blessing is a Priest or a Deacon. I don't know anything about lay ministers performing this blessing. Jasper, Maybe you could enlighten us.